My Community

Angelina · Jun 8, 2022

We have three communiity food pantries in my town. One is just a couple of blocks away from my house. I have a tree filled with Mandrines and will be gathering them up to give to the food pantry.

This particular pantry is run by an elderly couple. She is a member of the Salvation Army. One day she heard a message in her church about getting involved in her community as there are so many needs out there, so she started this pantry.

It is used often and sometimes it empties very quickly. There are obviously a few families and elderly out there who are trying to make ends meet and need that extra support.

A big shoutout to those unsung hero's who go that extra mile to ensure that the needs out there are being met the best they can with what they have....arms and legs for the Lord!

Glory!

Angelina · Jun 8, 2022

There is a lady and her husband who owns a high end store where you can buy gifts and jewelry. Every year she runs a drive where she collects money and food around the community to fill the above food pantry.

APAK · Jun 8, 2022

Angelina said:
There is a lady and her husband who owns a high end store where you can buy gifts and jewelry. Every year she runs a drive where she collects money and food around the community to fill the above food pantry.

Not to deter or mar your lovely thread here Angelina, although I was inquiring if the law or local health authorities get in the way of some of these pantries at times? Like wanting them to be meet certain standards and with applicable permits to operate etc.

Angelina · Jun 8, 2022

APAK said:
Not to deter or mar your lovely thread here Angelina, although I was inquiring if the law or local health authorities get in the way of some of these pantries at times? Like wanting them to be meet certain standards and with applicable permits to operate etc.

Not as yet my brother but I am sure this will come into play at some time. The food is usually fresh fruit, vegetables from someone's garden and product bought from the local supermarket or are from household pantries unused. I think when it comes to food that is already prepared, we may have some troubles then....

APAK · Jun 8, 2022

Angelina said:
Not as yet my brother but I am sure this will come into play at some time. The food is usually fresh fruit, vegetables from someone's garden and product bought from the local supermarket or are from household pantries unused. I think when it comes to food that is already prepared, we may have some troubles then....

Thanks, and it's great to live in a community where there's a helping hand spirit. I remember in a small village in the hills, the wops of sorts, where I lived on the North Island, south of you, families would sometimes bring their time to help others fix things and bring their food over to needy families. We depended on each other a great deal.

Angelina · Jun 8, 2022

There are free lunches at our local college and the elementry schools. The expanded rollout of free lunches was announced in last year's Budget, which tagged $220m over two years from Covid-19 funding to reach 25 per cent of students.

These are collected up and spread across the three food pantries in my town. This may be something that could cause problems in the future. It usually consists of sweet corn on the cob, wrap, sandwich, bap or hot entre depending on the day - whole piece of fresh fruit, a low-sugar yogurt and a side of popcorn, low-sugar muffin or vegetable crisps.

Angelina · Jun 8, 2022

APAK said:
Thanks, and it's great to live in a community where there's a helping hand spirit. I remember in a small village in the hills, the wops of sorts, where I lived on the North Island, south of you, families would sometimes bring their time to help others fix things and bring their food over to needy families. We depended on each other a great deal.

Did you live in NZ @APAK?

Angelina · Jun 8, 2022

My local supermarket is part of a national franchise. They have just finished a nation-wide initiative where you can either buy or give money for groceries up to $20.00 or more. This is then given to the local Salvation army to distribute and this year they came away with 200 grocery bags for our local community...

Rita · Jun 8, 2022

We have quite a few food banks in the City where I work. People can give direct or drop food off at local super markets ( they have metal bins for donations ) The original food bank was started by Brighton city mission church many many years ago. We also have loads of charity shops, you donate clothes, household items, toys ect and they sell them at a very very cheap price. The money goes to the given charity that the shop supports and people get some real bargains. They are very popular here.
Rita

Lambano · Jun 9, 2022

APAK said:
Not to deter or mar your lovely thread here Angelina, although I was inquiring if the law or local health authorities get in the way of some of these pantries at times?

My church got invited to serve at the community kitchen operated by St. Phil's church downtown, so I went with a team to sling some hash. This ministry was run by this short, tough woman. She'd get her food by going to the local restaurants and salvaging the food they were going to throw out. "Toss the moldy slices and use the rest of the loaf." "Cut out the discolored part of the meat and throw the rest on the grill." Don't waste anything, because she had to scrounge everything. I understand that in some cities, the Health Department does not permit this.

We served a long line of down-and-out families, a lot of single moms with young children, and some really rough-looking men of all ages. Everybody respected this dear saint. One guy who looked like trouble started giving her some lip; she straightened his rear-end out in no uncertain terms (yes, Christians can and do use that sort of language), and I could tell many of the other patrons would've come to her rescue if the situation turned ugly.

And this would go on EVERY NIGHT.

I wonder if that soup kitchen is still in operation after Covid?

APAK · Jun 9, 2022

Angelina said:
Did you live in NZ @APAK?

Of course, I grew up in NZ until after school...Petone, Lower Hutt, Mangaore/Shannon, Levin

The wops I was speaking about..below

APAK · Jun 9, 2022

Lambano said:
My church got invited to serve at the community kitchen operated by St. Phil's church downtown, so I went with a team to sling some hash. This ministry was run by this short, tough woman. She'd get her food by going to the local restaurants and salvaging the food they were going to throw out. "Toss the moldy slices and use the rest of the loaf." "Cut out the discolored part of the meat and throw the rest on the grill." Don't waste anything, because she had to scrounge everything. I understand that in some cities, the Health Department does not permit this.

We served a long line of down-and-out families, a lot of single moms with young children, and some really rough-looking men of all ages. Everybody respected this dear saint. One guy who looked like trouble started giving her some lip; she straightened his rear-end out in no uncertain terms (yes, Christians can and do use that sort of language), and I could tell many of the other patrons would've come to her rescue if the situation turned ugly.

And this would go on EVERY NIGHT.

I wonder if that soup kitchen is still in operation after Covid?

I like it....

dev553344 · Jun 9, 2022

We have food pantries here in the pacific northwest. They serve the low income families. I went there once to get food myself but got turned away as I didn't meet the criteria. We have rules for our pantries here and I think they're governed by the state. You can get canned food, boxed food and meats. My brother in law was homeless and he got some meat from the "food bank" here. He brought it to my place and I cooked it up for him. He left some in the fridge. A couple days later when he had gone for the month I looked at the date and it was long expired. So for low income families, they should check the dates on these items. Don't want to get food poisoning. He got food poisoning once and it was nasty. But he was also getting food from restaurants, so I'm not sure where he got the food poisoning from.

But they call them a "food bank" here and they get donations from all over.

APAK · Jun 9, 2022

My wife on occasion celebrated in the past, say Thanksgiving on the military base(s) with loner/single divorced airman and soldiers if they happen to be there as part of our own family. She cooked up cherry, peach, apple, meat (currents) pies lots of food for everyone, with makeshift outdoor tables to house say 12-30 people.

We love giving stuff and food to people.

Even today my wife bakes a raisin and cinnamon bread every month for our 91-92 years old neighbor across the street. After its cooked I get it all together and walk on over to her door. She always has a big smile on her face.

I smile because she smiles. It's contagious!

Pathfinder7 · Jun 9, 2022

Lambano said:
I wonder if that soup kitchen is still in operation after Covid?

I have the same question..
- I assume..some of them are still in operation.
----
I remember..visiting the soup kitchen(for the homeless).
- Many years ago.
We (from the ministry) brought some food and served..
- I learned a bit..about soup kitchen
---
'the ministry'..mission focused ministry.

Lambano · Jun 9, 2022

Pathfinder7 said:
I have the same question..
- I assume..some of them are still in operation.
----
I remember..visiting the soup kitchen(for the homeless).
- Many years ago.
We (from the ministry) brought some food and served..
- I learned a bit..about soup kitchen
---
'the ministry'..mission focused ministry.

I checked St. Phil's web page. The Community Kitchen is only open once a month now.

Brakelite · Jun 9, 2022

APAK said:
Not to deter or mar your lovely thread here Angelina, although I was inquiring if the law or local health authorities get in the way of some of these pantries at times? Like wanting them to be meet certain standards and with applicable permits to operate etc.

Friends of ours here in Melbourne, also from NZ, started a pantry from their house about 5 or 6 years ago. They put out the word mainly for kiwis who were having a hard time and couldn't get any assistance from the government. (The Australian government refuse to allow NZers to get a benefit or social assistance such as the dole). The little pantry became so popular they had to put up a permanent gazebo attached to the carport at their front door. Officials advised them that this was insufficient for health reasons, which was fair enough because the sun would be blazing and sucking the freshness from the fruit and veggies.
Through private help and generous donations, they now have a warehouse with plenty of refrigeration, room enough for all the stock, as well as an annex big enough for an op shop that helps with funding. The great demand guaranteed growth.
Oh, and they asked no questions as to people's needs or the private situations. But they get to know the regulars and are able to discern when they are being used and abused.

APAK · Jun 9, 2022

Brakelite said:
Friends of ours here in Melbourne, also from NZ, started a pantry from their house about 5 or 6 years ago. They put out the word mainly for kiwis who were having a hard time and couldn't get any assistance from the government. (The Australian government refuse to allow NZers to get a benefit or social assistance such as the dole). The little pantry became so popular they had to put up a permanent gazebo attached to the carport at their front door. Officials advised them that this was insufficient for health reasons, which was fair enough because the sun would be blazing and sucking the freshness from the fruit and veggies.
Through private help and generous donations, they now have a warehouse with plenty of refrigeration, room enough for all the stock, as well as an annex big enough for an op shop that helps with funding. The great demand guaranteed growth.
Oh, and they asked no questions as to people's needs or the private situations. But they get to know the regulars and are able to discern when they are being used and abused.

Great job with some personal warmth in attitude and perseverance. And that's why I asked about health officials in the earlier post. Know your rights and keep a healthy distance and a guess a compromise of sorts for all to get along.
I hope the government does not interfere too much in the actual growing of foods...location, type, size, amount, presentation etc...

Nancy · Jun 11, 2022

Angelina said:
Not as yet my brother but I am sure this will come into play at some time. The food is usually fresh fruit, vegetables from someone's garden and product bought from the local supermarket or are from household pantries unused. I think when it comes to food that is already prepared, we may have some troubles then....

That's awesome Angelina. Here in my community we have several pantries and soup kitchen hot meals. Where I help out at has 4 hot meals weekly and two pantry days where they get stocked up with everything they need...not just food but also, diapers, formula, clothes...on and on...we get many donations.
Two weeks ago was the first time we were allowed to let the clients back into the building...NY finally allowed it. Now, we are hoping to get some activities going again but...not yet allowed that which makes zero sense because they are ALREADY IN the building having their dinner served to them. Makes no sense but, I am happy they are back

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